Michigan Muddogs: INSIDE THE NUMBERS
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TOP 10 RECORDSBy AOL's Richard Justice
1. 755 -- The Holy Grail of baseball numbers. Hank Aaron's pursuit of the Babe's 714 prompted the best and worst in a lot of people. Aaron was celebrated for his greatness, but he also saw some ugliness as some people didn't want to see a black man break a record held by a white star. Barry Bonds is closing in at 676.
2. 500 -- This number has been cheapened some in recent years as more and more players have hit more and more home runs. Rafael Palmeiro hit his 500th homer last season, and while no one would consider him great, he did join the 500 club. Still, Griffey is just the 20th member of the 500 club, so it's special.
3. 5,714 -- Recognize this one? That's how many strikeouts Nolan Ryan finished his marvelous career with. He was still throwing 95 mph at 46 years old when his right elbow blew out in 1993. He's also 12th on the all-time win list with 324 victories, but it's the strikeout, the thing that symbolized his power and precision, that will always define him.
4. 4,256 -- Pete Rose finished his career as the all-time hits leader with this many. Yes, it's a record of longevity, but it also signals Rose's greatness on a variety of levels. His countdown to Ty Cobb's 4,189 in 1985 made for great theatre. Rose has stained his greatness with his behavior later on, but almost no one would question that he played the game the way it was supposed to be played.
5. 2,632 -- Cal Ripken entered the Baltimore lineup in 1982 and finally left it 16 years later. His consecutive starts streak may be the most unapproachable record in sports. It's testimony to his toughness and tenacity. Beyond hits and defensive players, he was always most proud of the fact that he showed up every day wanting to be in the lineup and do his part.
6. 56 -- Come to think of it, this may be the most impressive number in baseball history. Joe DiMaggio's consecutive games hitting streak seems totally unassailable. Some have made serious runs in recent years, but Joltin' Joe remains the king.
7. .406 -- You know the stories of how Ted Williams could have taken the final day of the 1941 season off and finished at .400. Instead, he played and hit and finished at .406. Like DiMaggio's 56-game streak, this one was stood the test of time and seems safe. We tell ourselves that someday someone else will hit .400, but no one has yet gotten close.
8. 300 -- This number will grow in stature because it's going to become increasingly difficult to attain. Roger Clemens became just the 20th member of the 300-win club last season, and Greg Maddux, who has 295, will be the 21st. It's hard to find a guy after that with a good shot of making it.
9. 287 -- Know this one? It's how many times Hall of Famer Hughie Jennings was hit by a pitch. A lot of fans don't know this number, but when they hear about it, they respond with one word: "Ouch.'' Tommy Tucker is second with 272 and Don Baylor is next at 267. Craig Biggio is tops among active players with 251.
10. 2,597 -- This is how many times Reggie Jackson struck out in his brilliant career. Let's don't forget the man also had 563 home runs and 1,702 RBI.